This invention pertains to an absorbent undergarment, and more particularly, to an absorbent undergarment for effectively containing and absorbing body waste.
Various types of garments are presently available for absorbing human discharge. Examples of these garments include baby diapers, feminine care products, incontinence garments and the like. Generally speaking, the basic structure of this class of garments requires a liquid pervious bodyside liner, an absorbent layer or layers for receiving and absorbing the discharge, and a liquid impervious outer cover or backing for containing the discharge.
While some of these garments perform satisfactorily for their intended purpose, there remains the need to provide an undergarment that possesses improved absorption characteristics, as well as improved waste containment characteristics with a minimum of discomfort to the wearer. More specifically, heretofore, undergarments of this type have not been designed to facilitate the transfer of liquids to the entire area, including the distal ends, of the absorbent layer or layers. As a result, waste absorption is concentrated in the central portion of the absorbent layer which results in an under utilization of much of the absorbent capacity of the undergarment.
Heretofore, some undergarments for absorbing and containing human discharge have typically been bulky and somewhat ineffective. For example, such undergarments may comprise flat sheets folded up into a diaper-like configuration which are bulky, particularly in the crotch portion. Obviously, this style of undergarment is uncomfortable to wear, especially if the wearer is an active adult.
Australian Patent Specification No. 57831/86 to Haire is directed to a diaper having a water pervious facing sheet made of a nonwoven web formed from cellulosic fibers, and a water impervious backing sheet. An absorbent pad, positioned between the facing and the backing sheets, comprises one layer made of a loose batt of wood or paper pulp, generally coextensive with the facing and backing sheets, and second and third narrower layers located essentially along the central axis of the diaper. The third layer, which has a higher absorbency than the other two layers, is sandwiched between the other two absorbent layers. The second layer is centrally positioned since it is said that increased absorbency is required in this area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,000 to Wanatabe et al. is directed to an absorbent article that is of a generally planar configuration. The absorbent article shown in the Watanabe et al. U.S. Pat. No. has a conventional absorbent layer having its lateral faces and underneath face covered by a conventional barrier. A web, or mass of polyester fibers in the form of a sheet of non-interlaced and non-bonded fibers is on top of the absorbent layer. A nonwoven fabric, made of a blend of a regenerated cellulose fiber, a polyester fiber and a heat-bondable polyolefin composite fiber, is wrapped around the absorbent layer, the barrier and the web. The Watanabe et al. U.S. Pat. No. states that an enhanced absorption rate and feeling of dryness are due to the fact that a polyester fiber is contained in both the nonwoven fabric and the web.
European Patent Application No. 84106820.8 to Damico shows an absorbent incontinent garment having a pervious body facing member, an inner lower pad member and an impervious polymer member, which is wrapped around the pad member and adhered to the facing member. The middle portion of the garment contains an additional layer of absorbent, and further has elastic extending along the longitudinal edges of the pad. The contraction of the elastic is said to create a pouch that is particularly well-suited to absorb body excretions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,371 to Dawn et al. is directed to a multi-layer absorbent product that is particularly suitable for use in environments where use of a commode is not feasible, such as for use by race car drivers, fighter plane pilots and astronauts. This product is structured so as to include a bodyside water pervious layer with a wicking layer overlaying the bodyside layer, whereby the wicking layers draw fluids away from the bodyside layer towards a container section. The container section comprises an absorbent mass sandwiched between two highly water pervious layers. The mass has the property of forming a gel when contacted with urine or some other aqueous medium.
U.K. Patent Applications Nos. 2,101,038 and 2,023,068 to Karami show a disposable product of a generally rectangular shape having a water pervious top sheet of non-woven hydrophobic fibers of polyethylene or polypropylene or a mixture thereof which permits passage of waste fluid toward the pad. A tissue wadding of hydrophobic non-woven fibers separates the pad and top sheet. A wadding lies below the pad and the water impervious backing. These patent documents state that use of a wet strength hydrophobic tissue backing prevents fluid wetback while maintaining the shape of the absorbent pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,462 to Woon et al. shows a disposable diaper with an elastically constricted crotch section. The diaper is made from material that is cut into a I-shape, which increases the cost of manufacture over a garment made from a material with straight sides. In crosssection, the Woon et al. product has a fluid permeable facing sheet, a fluid impervious backing sheet and a highly absorbent batt sandwiched between the facing and backing sheets. The fluid permeable sheet may be made of spunbonded polypropylene filaments with spot embossing, a perforated surface or a surface surfactant treatment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,644 to Matthews et al. is directed to a sanitary napkin capable of rapidly transmitting viscous menstrual fluid into the absorbent portion of the napkin without cover runoff.
Thus, it becomes apparent that a need exists for an absorbent undergarment that improves the absorbent characteristics and the containment characteristics of the undergarment while still being comfortable to wear.